A hefty +1.7 in March enables Oregon Public Broadcasting public radio news/talk KOPB to advance from second to first and nearly reach double-digits (8.2 – 9.9, 6+). Tied for the top spot in January, KOPB has been +.6 (April); -.9 (May); +.5 (August); +1.1 (October); -.6 (November); +.6 (January 2020); and +1.7 (March).

Portland Music Formats – On top the past four sweeps (including sharing the lead in January with public radio news/talk KOPB), iHeartMedia adult contemporary KKCW segues to #2. “K-103” has essentially shed half (-6.8) its 6+ AQH share in three straight dips (13.9 – 8.5 – 8.4 – 7.1, 6+). A combined +6.5 in December/“Holiday” 2019 (7.4 – 9.1 – 13.9, 6+), KKCW regressed by -5.4 in January; 13.9 was its highest 6+-share since “Holiday” 2018’s 16.2. “K-103” was on top in July, August, and September, before slipping to #2 in October. After improving by seven-tenths in February, iHeartMedia classic hits-oldies KLTH “106.7 The Eagle” spirals by -1.0 (6.1 – 5.1, third to fourth, 6+). “The Eagle” had been an overall -3.1 in three downturns in a row (8.5 – 7.1 – 5.9 – 5.4, 6+) and had a November-only stay at #1. By gaining nine-tenths in February, All Classical Public Media’s KQAC pulled the plug on four straight down or flat trends that accounted for a net loss of seven-tenths (3.4 – 3.4 – 3.1 – 3.0 – 2.7, 6+). In March though, “All Classical Portland” surrenders six-tenths (3.6 – 3.0, #12 to #17, 6+). Off by one-half share each are Entercom adult hits KYCH “97.1 Charlie We Play Everything” (4.7 – 4.2, fifth to seventh, 6+) and Alpha Media CHR KBFF “Live 95.5” (sixth to ninth). Six recent (6+) shifts for “Charlie” include: +.6 (September/October); -1.1 (November/December); +2.1 (“Holiday” 2019); -.8 (January 2020); -1.2 (February); and -.5 (March). After notching a January improvement of seven-tenths, “Live 95.5” replicates February’s half-share loss (4.9 – 4.4 – 3.9, 6+). Entering the January sweep, KBFF was off eight-tenths via three drops in a row (5.0 – 4.8 – 4.3 – 4.2, 6+).

Charlotte

Spoken-Word Formats – As a result of three straight upticks, Entercom news/talk WBT is an overall +2.2 (3.5 – 4.9 – 5.3 – 5.7, 6+) and advances from sixth to fifth.

Advancing from #14 to #15, University of Utah public radio news/talk KUER is a collective +1.2 via three bumps in a row (1.7 – 2.3 – 2.4 – 2.9, 6+). In addition to notching its fifth consecutive sweep without a loss for a net gain of eight-tenths (.1 – .1 – .1 – .2 – .4 – .9, 6+), Brigham Young University public radio news/talk KUMT cracks the top twenty (#18).

Please note that on March 13, Nielsen Audio released revised local summary and respondent-level data for December 2019; “Holiday 2019”; and January 2020. The internal clock in Lotus Communications-owned classic rock KXPT’s encoder “was not working properly during these survey periods, resulting in atypically low estimates for the station. The revised estimates reflect complete measurement of panelist exposure to KXPT. For stations other than KXPT, AQH persons and AQH rating are not affected, but there may be minor differences in AQH share and AQH rank. Nielsen has determined this issue was isolated to KXPT’s specific device, which has been replaced. There have been no issues with encoders for other stations in Las Vegas.”

It is for that reason some 6+ shares and ranks below are slightly different from Las Vegas “Takeaways” columns in December 2019, “Holiday” 2019,” and/or January 2020.

Recapturing the one-tenth it lost in February (3.3 – 3.2 – 3.3, 6+), Community Communications’ news/talk WMFE “90.7 Public Radio for Central Florida” progresses from #14 to #13.

Orlando Music Formats – Off a combined six-tenths in “Holiday” 2019/January 2020 (5.2 – 5.1 – 4.6, 6+), Cox Media Group urban AC WCFB roars back with a +2.3 in February/March (4.6 – 5.0 – 6.9, 6+), rocketing from eighth to second. Powered by March’s +1.9, this (6.9) is the strongest 6+-showing for “Star 94.5” since April 2019’s 7.6. Country cluster-mate WWKA is an overall +2.1 via three straight upticks (2.9 – 3.9 – 4.1 – 5.0, 6+). In addition to re-entering the top ten (#11 to #8), “K-92.3” has its best 6+-stat (5.0) since December 2018 (5.1). Also cracking the top ten is iHeartMedia-owned WJRR “101.1 Orlando’s Rock Station,” which is +1.6 via three straight spikes (3.0 – 3.5 – 3.7 – 4.6, #12 to #10, 6+) and has its highest 6+-share (4.6) since October (4.8). Albeit -1.0 in February/March (9.2 – 8.4 – 8.2, 6+), Entercom classic hits-oldies WOCL “105.9 Sunny FM – We Own The ‘80s” is #1 the third report in a row. Before segueing to the runner-up slot in December, “Sunny” was #1 seven straight sweeps. It was -.8 (February); +1.2 (January); -1.1 (December/“Holiday” 2019); +.6 (November); and -2.5 in September/October). The dubious distinction of suffering the largest (6+) February 2020 – March 2020 decrease we’ve seen so far in these 36 PPM-markets (-2.2) falls to iHeartMedia adult contemporary WMGF. In fact, “Magic 107.7” has spiraled by roughly 63% (-9.7) as a result of three straight setbacks (15.4 – 8.1 – 7.9 – 5.7, second to sixth, 6+). Not only does the eight-tenths that Entercom hot AC WOMX accrued in January/February (4.3 – 5.1 – 5.1, 6+) vanish, “Mix 105.1” drifts from the top ten (4.3, -.8, #7 to #11, 6+). Forfeiting six-tenths each are iHeartMedia Spanish tropical and CHR siblings WRUM “Rumba 100.3” (flat at #3) and WXXL “XL-106.7” (5.8, fourth to fifth, 6+). “Rumba 100.3” is without an increase the fourth consecutive time for a net loss of -1.6 (7.5 – 6.9 – 6.5 – 6.5 – 5.9, 6+). When “XL-106.7” added three-tenths in February, it pulled the plug on three sweeps in succession without an increase that accounted for a -1.4 (7.5 – 6.4 – 6.4 – 6.1, 6+). JVC Media’s WOTW “103.1 The Wolf – New Country + All Time Favorites,” which was trending 1.1 – 1.2 – 1.3 (October – November – December, 6+), is unlisted the fourth time in a row.

Cincinnati

Spoken-Word Formats – Over and above being +3.0 via three straight upticks (7.1 – 8.1 – 8.3 – 10.1, 6+), iHeartMedia news/talk WLW progresses from the runner-up slot to #1 and is in double-digits (10.1, 6+) for the first time since September (10.7). Through three successive sweeps without a loss, co-owned WKRC “55 KRC The Talk Station” is a collective +1.2 (2.6 – 3.3 – 3.8 – 3.8, unchanged at #9, 6+).

Following six down or flat sweeps in a row for a -.8 (2.9 – 2.9 – 2.9 – 2.9 – 2.4 – 2.4 – 2.1, 6+), Cincinnati Public Radio news/talk WVXU picks up one-tenth to 2.2 (#17 to #16, 6+).

Cincinnati Music Formats – After holding the lead position the past two reports, Cumulus Media classic hits-oldies WGRR “103.5 Cincinnati’s Greatest Hits” is -1.3 in February/March (11.3 – 10.1 – 10.0, 6+) and segues to #2. Prior to posting a January +2.8, WGRR lost a collective nine-tenths in three consecutive down or flat moves (9.4 – 9.3 – 8.5 – 8.5, 6+). “Cincinnati’s Greatest Hits” was #1 in eight of 2019’s 13 ratings periods: The exceptions were January, August, September, October, and “Holiday” 2019. The station WGRR replaced at #1 – co-owned adult contemporary WRRM – is an overall -8.0 in three consecutive declines (13.1 – 6.2 – 5.5 – 5.1, flat at #5, 6+). In “Holiday” 2019, “Warm 98.5” jumped from third to first. It was a combined +7.6 in December/“Holiday” 2019 (5.5 – 6.9 – 13.1, 6+), with 13.1 its highest 6+-stat since “Holiday” 2018’s 14.6. On the heels of breaking out a February +1.6, Cincinnati Public Radio-owned WGUC “Classical 90.9” surrenders half that increase (2.7 – 1.9, -.8, #14 to #17, 6+). Prior to February, WGUC was within 1.0 – 1.8 range (6+) in each of the previous 11 survey periods. A combined +2.5 in January/February (5.0 – 6.9 – 7.5, 6+), Hubbard Broadcasting’s WUBE “Get Your Country On B-105.1” returns six-tenths to 6.9 (6+) but continues in third-place. WUBE previously was an overall -2.3 in three drops in succession (7.3 – 6.9 – 6.0 – 5.0, 6+).

Cleveland

Spoken-Word Formats – As a result of three straight upticks – including its current +1.4 – iHeartMedia news/talk WTAM “1100 Cleveland’s News Radio” is a collective +3.0 (4.2 – 5.3 – 5.8 – 7.2, eighth to sixth, 6+). Radio One’s WZAK-HD3 debuted in print in November and had a topline of .6 – 1.2 – 1.5 (6+); WZAK-HD3 is unlisted the third straight month. After recording a .9 (6+) in four successive sweeps, Salem Media Group news/talk WHK “AM 1420 The Answer, News-Opinion-Insight” is unlisted as well. WHK was unlisted in July, August, and September, resurfacing in print in October.

While it repeats at #11, Entercom’s WKRK “Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan” is a combined -1.7 in February/March (4.9 – 3.6 – 3.2, 6+).

Steady in ninth-place, Ideastream-owned public radio news/talk WCPN logs its third spike in a row for a cumulative +2.1 and crosses the five-share level (3.1 – 4.2 – 4.4 – 5.2, 6+).